1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cord wrap and light holders, which are used with strings of decorative lights.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Injection molding processes commonly involve the use of two or more dies which fit together to define at least one enclosed space. This space or cavity has the shape of the articles to be molded. When small articles are manufactured, there are usually several cavities in a single mold which are connected by passageways or runners. Plastic material is injected into the mold and runs along the runners into the mold cavities. After the molded resin has cooled sufficiently, the mold halves are separated and the articles are removed from the cavities. The plastic that cooled in the runners forms arms which interconnect the molded workpieces. As the molded articles are removed from the cavities, they remain connected to the plastic arms, known as xe2x80x9crunners,xe2x80x9d through which the plastic xe2x80x9crunsxe2x80x9d during molding. They must then be broken away from these arms. The separation process is a manual operation done either at the factory or by the purchaser. When such manual separation is a part of the manufacturing process, it increases the cost of manufacture. Normally, regardless of who removes the molded articles from the runners, the runners are simply thrown away or recycled because these runners previously had no use once the articles were removed from them.
Sometimes, the molded articles are sold while attached to the runners. This has been the standard way to sell plastic models. When articles are sold in this way, the user removes the desired pieces from the runners and discards the runners. Selling parts attached to runners reduces the manufacturer""s labor costs, but the manufacturer loses the material in the runners which he otherwise could have recycled.
There have been developed several devices for holding decorative lights on houses. Most of these devices include hooks that fit over a gutter, or stake portions that slip between overlapping roofing shingles. Examples of such light holders are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,141,192; 5,669,709; 5,772,166; 5,531,441; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 356,246; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 356,492.
Decorative lights are sold in strings containing several light bulbs. The number of lights on a string may vary from as few as 12 to as many as 150 depending upon the size of the light bulbs. A common decorative light set contains 25 lights. Typically the purchaser of such lights will discard the package in which the lights are purchased and will coil the light string for storage. To assist the owner of decorative light sets to store his lights there are available in the market several different types of cord wraps. One common type of cord wrap is configured like the letter xe2x80x9cHxe2x80x9d but has two spaced-apart cross bars. This product is commonly made of molded plastic and packaged in a sleeve which fits around the sides.
Recently manufacturers of light holders have begun selling their light holders attached to runners with a card affixed to this combined structure. The card may have slots through which the light holders are attached to the card. A hole is provided in the card to allow the package to be hung on a rod. Such packaging is significantly less expensive than blister packages and clam shell packages commonly used for light holders.
There is a need for a molded plastic product designed in which the runners form a useful part of the product. Then the runners need not be removed and recycled but provide added value to the product.
We provide a cord wrap with integrally molded articles. The cord wrap body has two spaced apart and substantially parallel sides. At least two cross bars connect the sides. The sides and cross bars have a cross-section sufficiently large in diameter so that they can act as runners during molding. A plurality of molded articles are frangibly attached to the cord wrap body. When the parts are removed, the runner, rather than being discarded, may be used as a light string storage device known as a cord wrap.
We also provide a mold for forming a cord wrap and integrally molded articles. The mold block has a plurality of cavities shaped to form molded articles. The mold block also has at least two mold sections that have mating faces which can be moved apart to open the cavities. Two spaced apart and substantially parallel side runners are connected by two cross runners. Each cavity is connected to a runner so that plastic can be injected through the runners into the cavities. Additionally, we provide the process of making a cord wrap with integrally molded articles.